Emotions Are Not Dictators

As we know from the Bible, women are the weaker sex (1 Peter 3:7) and are more easily deceived (1 Timothy 2:14). We allow our emotions to control some of our life and decisions. This is why God has said that women are not to teach nor be in authority over men (1 Timothy 2:12). God made women and men differently for the different purposes He has created them for. He has created women to get married, bear children, and guide the home (1 Timothy 5:14 and Titus 2:4, 5). 

The reason women are flocking to Jesus Calling and many of the female Bible teachers and writers is because they appeal to their emotional nature. Women love to feel things. If they don't feel in love with their husbands, they will often divorce them to find another man they might feel in love with. They may not even feel that they love one of their children but they must regardless of their feelings. Women love to feel emotional over the Lord and His Word. I am not saying this is wrong but it shouldn't be our goal. Our goal should be to obey the Lord by doing what He has clearly told us to do in His Word without depending upon our emotions to lead us.

I went to a wonderful retreat this past weekend where a close friend of ours led a women's one-day retreat. Carol Hopson said, "Emotions are not dictators; they are indicators of our need to run to Jesus." Women absolutely have a tendency to allow their emotions to dictate their behaviors. Emotions and feelings aren't always right and often lie to us. 

When Fifty Shades of Grey was popular, I read some blogs and women praising this book and how much better their sex lives were from seeing this movie. They were being led by their emotions and not by love for their husbands. I am sure the women who had "great sex lives" from this movie don't have great sex lives anymore because emotional highs don't last very long. 

Since we know we are the weaker vessel and easily deceived, it is all the more reason to be in the Word daily and be led by the perfect will of God, no longer allowing our emotions to run and ruin our lives. If you want God to speak to you personally, as Justin Peter said, "Dear ones, if you want to hear God speak to you, there’s one way I can guarantee you that you will hear God speak, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak to you audibly, read it out loud. I promise you, I promise you, you’ll hear Him speak."

 If you want to grow strong in the wisdom and the knowledge of the Lord, the only path is through His Word, not feel-good, warm and fuzzy devotionals, female preachers, emotions, and books. God's Word is convicting, challenging, and encouraging so read and listen to Christian authors, teachers, and male preachers who teach convicting, challenging, and encouraging messages.

If you're sick of being a baby Christian and only drinking milk, unable to distinguish clearly between right and wrong, and not understanding who you are in Christ, I encourage you to listen to this teaching by Michael Pearl on Romans 8. Romans is one of the most powerful and important books of the Bible. Paul explains what happens to us when we believe and how we can walk in the Spirit. Chapter 8 is the culmination of these teachings in Romans. This is good, solid meat for you to chew on and mature you in your walk with the Lord.

 The days are evil, women. We know our weaknesses so don't allow the enemy to have any foothold into your life and deceive you by following your emotions instead of the Word of God. Don't be led astray by the popular feel-good devotionals, sexually charged books or anything that doesn't line up with the pure Word of God. Walking in the Spirit and being set apart is what the Lord calls us to do. Heed the call and run to Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:16, 17

Why Do Children Die?

Written By Michael Pearl

Many children die and it is so painful for the parents and all who loved these children. The parents ask, "Why?" and others ask "How could a loving God take a child when He controls everything?" People will say things like, "God must have needed them more than you" or others things that are painful for the parents to hear. Michael Pearl is asked about this in his latest magazine so I thought I would publish it here for you to see.

Question

My name is_____ and I am struggling with my faith. I don’t understand why God takes kids and good people up to him at such a young age. I have written fellow Christians and ministries in search of guidance, but they ignore my letters. I am hungry for Jesus and would be grateful if you would help me understand this.

—KVW

Michael Answers

You ask why “God takes” kids and good people at such a young age. Your question is based on incomplete and inaccurate assumptions.

Some of your false assumptions are:

       That everyone who dies does so because God decides to end their time here on earth

       That we are like dolls in a playhouse that God moves around at his pleasure

       That nothing happens unless it is his will

       That it is his duty to not allow anything bad to befall anyone

      That he must intervene and make only good things happen

       That staying here on earth is the best option; that it is bad to die and end up in God’s presence rather than staying here on earth in all the sin, sadness, and sometimes pain.

Furthermore, in expressing consternation over “bad things” happening to kids or good people, you are assuming that it is appropriate for bad things to happen to adults or bad people. In that case, you are assuming that youth or goodness merits some special favor from God, and that older adults or bad people deserve to die.

Only to provoke a point, I say you seem to know more than God does about what is best. If you were an adult I would tell you to read my book, By Divine Design. It addresses your underlying assumptions. I do not have space to address every point, and much could be said, but I will make a quick pass at answering your question.

When Christians or children die, they pass into God’s presence. Jesus said of children who die, “That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). Paul said, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). He further revealed that he had “a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better” (Philippians 1:23). Paul, a “good man” considered it better to die and be with Christ. I am sure that many people were very sad at his departing, and some might have wondered why God would take such a good and useful man from their presence, but Paul was present with the Lord and was surrounded by children beholding the face of the Father. So even if you had the power to prevent him from dying or the power to bring him back, he would have chosen to stay dead and in the presence of God. And the children now beholding the face of the Father no doubt prefer their present circumstances to what they see down here on earth where people doubt God.

God does not always force his will in the face of human free will.

As to your assumption that God is the doer of all things and only his will is done, heed the passage that says God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God does not will that any should perish, yet many perish every day. God does not always force his will in the face of human free will. He allows us to live in an environment of cause and effect, making our own choices and learning from them, suffering the consequences of violating the laws of nature.

Solomon said, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Contrary to popular belief, one can be in the wrong place at the wrong time and by chance catch a disease or be hit by a car and die. God doesn’t make such things happen, except on special occasions when he is judging someone for a reason; they happen to us all as we take our chances in a world that is fallen and separated from its creator.

Further, death is inevitable for us all, because we inherited it from our great, great, great… grandfather Adam. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Finally, bad things do happen in this world, so bad that there is no way we could hold God responsible. Bad people are free to do bad things and hurt children and others. Many people have suffered unjustly, and there is no way to connect God to it. Satan is “the god of this world,” (2 Corinthians 4:4) who has blinded people and led them to do hurtful and stupid things to each other. There will be justice in the life to come, but at present there is no fairness and very little justice. Don’t blame God, blame Adam for separating us from God; and we can blame ourselves for using our free will in harmful ways.

I don’t have space to say more, but know that we have a promise from God: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

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Comparing Those on the Left and on the Right

A friend of mine spent some time with a family that is very left leaning, meaning they are usually anti-God, socialists, support abortion, and mostly everything that is against the Word of God. These people, she said, live in fear and anxiety about what is happening in the culture. They feel our nation needs to go more to the left to be a better place.

I know many women who are on the far right, meaning they are usually Christians who love the Lord and His ways. They fight against abortion, for a small government, and mostly for the values found in the Bible. These women live in fear and anxiety about what is happening in our culture. They feel our nation needs to go more the the right to be a better place.

There's something terribly wrong with this picture. Anything that takes away your joy for long has become an idol. The direction of our culture has become an idol in their lives. They have all lost their joy. This is understandable to those who are on the left since they refuse to acknowledge the Lord and walk in His ways. This is not understandable to those who are on the right since they know how the story ends, who sits on the throne, who will be victorious, and have been commanded to not be anxious but to cast their cares upon the Lord.

If believers in the risen Savior look no different than those who have refused Him and made the state of our culture their idol and lost their joy, they need to stop listening to the news and spend a lot more time in the Word and in prayer. We are commanded to pray for our leaders and leave it all in the Lord's very capable hands. He tells us to not fear for He is with us and will never leave us. Do you believe this? If you do, stop worrying and being anxious. You are being a terrible witness for the joy of the Lord. Get rid of your idols and make God the Lord of your life.

Knowing the Lord, serving Him, and shining His light to a dark and decaying world is what we are called to do. This isn't our home. We are strangers and aliens passing through. Our mansions are on a brand new earth where there will be no more death, sickness, pain, or suffering. Live for this home instead and store your treasures in heaven. Yes, vote, pray, and do what you can to get those who live by godly principles or at least, closer to them elected (we will be writing a post about who we will be voting for), but then leave the outcome with the Lord since He is sovereign, you know. 

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Philippians 4:6

picture source

Must You Honor Sinful Parents?

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Never try to live on the old manna, nor seek to find help in Egypt.” As believers in Jesus Christ, we should not try to find marriage counselors from the secular world, help for training and disciplining children or any type of relational advice from them either, since they come from an entirely different perspective with different goals than a Christ follower.

Recently, Susan wrote to me about her father who is living a sinful lifestyle and she doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. However, she knows from Scripture that she must honor her mother and father. How does she reconcile the two? If she went to the secular world or probably even many lukewarm believers, they would probably tell her she didn’t need to have anything to do with him if he was doing something she didn’t like. The Bible is outdated and written by men any ways.

What does the Bible say? We are to honor our father and mother regardless of their behavior. Our parent’s disobedience doesn’t give us a right to be disobedient, just as a husband’s disobedience doesn’t give his wife the right to be disobedient. We will one day stand alone in the presence of the Lord and have to give an account for our actions, not our parent's or spouse's. We are told to reverence our husbands and respect all those in authority over us for the positions they hold and the responsibility that goes along with it.

How does Susan honor her father who is living a sinful lifestyle? She needs to gain an eternal perspective. Hell is an awful place to spend eternity and she must keep his eternal soul in mind in all her behavior towards him. Pray for him consistently. Write him notes with Scripture verses and encouraging words. When she sees him, she should always be kind and loving since the Lord may use her to win him to the Lord. Remember, even Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who were murdering him. Those trapped in sinful lifestyles are in bondage to sin and the enemy is winning their soul. It is all a spiritual battle being waged in the heavenlies. When you try to win your parent, spouse, children, and friends to the Lord, you use the same weaponry: the armor of the Lord to fight this battle. Once you put on the Lord’s armor, you have a great chance of winning them to the Lord because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

Whenever you have a relationship problem, go to the Word or to a godly person you know. Don’t seek help in Egypt. Years ago, Egypt said pornography was fine. Now, they are realizing the harm in it. We always knew sexual immorality is evil and something we must flee since the Word is clear about it. Read and study the Word to find principles to live by. You will never go wrong obeying the Lord in what He commands that you do. It is much better to reap rewards from the Lord, than the manna the world has to offer that quickly spoils.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

Reacting to Well Known Christians Involved in Sexual Sin

Joshua Duggar comes from a godly, wholesome family, yet he was caught being deeply involved in fornication. Then we find that the father of the Willis family (twelve beautiful and talented children that are homeschooled and perform around the world) has been arrested for molesting his own daughters. Someone wrote this comment on my blog recently:

"And the Willis family! The husband was just arrested for SEXUALLY molesting his own daughters. I'm glad I don't follow these 'people.' I do not like the Duggars and never watched the Willis family. People are so quick to watch a 'Christian' family, because they claim to be. I'm glad I have discernment!"

Yes, everyone has their opinions but what should our reactions be when we hear of a Christian being caught in a sinful lifestyle that blasphemes the name of the God they serve? We grieve for them, for their family, and for the black eye they give Christianity, then we pray for them and their families. We don’t mock them or join the culture in tearing them apart. We live in a highly sexualized culture, and Satan is on the prowl looking for whom he may devour.

Probably most of you have heard of well-known pastors getting caught for being involved in fornication. Yes, it’s painful and awful. We never would celebrate it and make it a cause for bragging like this woman who made a comment on the Willis family. It should grieve us like it grieves the Father; for He wants all to repent and walk in the Spirit.

We are commanded to "exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13). If you see a brother or sister heading in the wrong direction, say something! Exhort them to walk in obedience. Exhort means to “strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something.” Encourage others to walk faithfully with the Lord, be in the Word, and be transformed by it and not by the world.

This is why I exhort women to be keepers at home, so they can be the ones raising and watching carefully over their children's behavior and thinking. They need to be taught to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and flee fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18). Continually warn them about the evil of our culture. Yes, we should be sheltering our children when they are young so when they are grown up, their roots will be deep and strong in the Lord. They will clearly know His ways and have hidden His word in their hearts, so they won’t sin against Him.

Joshua Duggar and Toby Willis gave into a small temptation; drawn away by their own lusts, enticed, and then acted upon their lusts and brought forth sin. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death" (James 1:14, 15). They didn't "fall into sin." They chose it, but it doesn’t mean all Christians will chose to sin in such a way. 

There are many who have lived godly, influential lives and continued to walk on the narrow road until the day they died. Do not lose heart! Stay in the Word and make sure your children know it. Live out love and kindness to your husband, children, and all those you know. Allow the Lord to use you as His instrument to a fallen world and stay strong in Him and His mighty power. 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:10, 11

Sharing Our Brokenness With Others

Have you noticed how popular among Christians it is to write and speak about their brokenness? A woman shared an article in the chat room called, “The Very Worse Trend Ever.” Women bragging about having messy homes, burnt dinners, and anything else they can think of that they failed at so they can help other women feel content knowing that even these big name, popular female writers struggle in the same areas that they do.

Is this what we, as Christian, are called to do? These women are admitting to us that they aren’t perfect. Yes, we know this. No one is perfect even if they act like they are. We all have struggles and hard times when we fail at what we want to be and do. However, in God’s Word, we are told to encourage and exhort one another daily. Paul said he disciplined his body and wouldn’t allow his body to have control and disqualify him from the race set before him. He told us to follow the examples of those who are living godly lives.

In this article, she quotes a writer who wrote: "I'm broken and sinful, and I'm not really able to make a lot of progress as a Christian. But God's grace is awesome, and it covers me." There are even songs in church that goes something like: “I’m broken inside…” This isn’t the message of the Gospel! God calls us saints, new creatures in Christ, freed and dead to sin, and complete in Him. Instead of trying to make others feel comfortable in their failures by showing your failures, learn from those who are disciplined in areas you are weak and fail.

If there is a blog of a woman who has learned to have a clean and tidy home, learn from her. If a woman learned to make delicious food, learn from her. If a woman is obedient to her husband, learn from her. Learn from women who have raised God-fearing children. I never read a blogger or writer who shares her “brokenness” and helps others feel comfortable in their “brokenness.”

Emily (a woman in the chat room) responded to the article mentioned above this way:  I've tried warning my friends about these ladies but they always think I'm judgmental. I stopped reading or listening to these teachers and found good solid ministries to dive into. The result? I stopped being entertained, was convicted of my sin, and now my house is clean most of the time (and I have three small children), my laundry stays done, and I cook three meals a day. I stopped making excuses and I do my work for the Lord now! I am very grateful that God pulled me out of those teachings; everything about my life and my family has changed!

I don't think anyone is saying we don't sin. We're saying these ladies glorify sin. If you're struggling to run a godly household you should confess that sin to a dear friend who will hold you accountable, repent, and pray that God will help you do better, and then.. Do better! You certainly shouldn't wallow in your sin and make jokes about it - and that's what some of these ladies do. In Jen Hatmaker's last book she says she strives to be an "okay parent, we're not shooting for the stars here." Now imagine someone reading that as a new Christian. Do you think they're encouraged to run the race set before them? Or laugh and joke about sinful parenting? Of course these women are entertaining and relatable but that's because sin is comfortable. But ultimately this 'we're all so broken and messy and just getting through' mentality does NOT produce or encourage holiness! That's all we're saying! This article isn't saying we should never talk about sin but that we shouldn't be comfortable in it or glorify it."

We are told in Hebrews 12:1 to “Lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Lay aside too much time on the Internet, watching television, chatting with others on the telephone, and too much of anything that is taking away your time from doing what you know you are supposed to be doing. Then lay aside laziness, gluttony, gossip, and other sins you are struggling with. Run the race before you keeping your eyes on things above. Dwell on the good and the lovely. Don’t allow anything to cause you to get off track from being the wife and mother or whatever you are doing. Even if you are single and/or childless, grow in the wisdom and the knowledge of the Lord and work heartily unto the Lord and not unto men.

I have been told that I make women feel guilty and I have no right to do this since I have failed in areas that I teach: working when I had a child and being an unsubmissive wife. I have been very honest in my failures and what I have learned to become what the Lord has called me to do. I consistently want to grow in godliness and in the ways of the Lord. I take seriously the command to exhort one another daily. If a woman is feeling guilty, she needs to examine her heart against the Word of God and find out why. My goal isn’t to make women feel guilty but to encourage them in the ways of self-control and godliness in all areas of their lives.

You aren’t broken, women, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ! Stop saying it and thinking it. Continually remind yourself who you are in Christ and dwell upon this instead. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you and the joy of the Lord is your strength. Don’t let anything or anyone steal your joy or try to convince you that you are broken.

Ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.
Colossians 2:10

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
2 Peter 1:3

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1 Peter 2:24

Encouragement For Becoming a Disciplined Woman

Written By Donna Martin

"...discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness." 1 Tim 4:7

Discipline is what people today need the most, and want the least. The lack of discipline can be seen in our generation through its self-indulgence, restlessness, gross immorality, and substance abuse.

Self-discipline is the ability to regulate one’s conduct by principle, rather than by impulse or desire, and it welcomes self-restraint and perseverance.

The traits of an undisciplined person are: running away from difficulty, avoiding incompatible people, seeking the easy way out, and quitting when the going gets rough. Indiscipline can also be seen in students who quit school, husbands and wives who divorce, church members who neglect services, and people who walk out on the job to escape discipline. Does it sound like the world we live in today?

The Bible says, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Days of adversity will come. Only by consistent disciplined living can strength in character be developed to face adversity. There is nothing difficult about developing discipline in our lives. Here are a few steps that you may use for yourself  or your children as you try to develop a more disciplined walk.

1. Don’t take short cuts - An undisciplined person is always looking for short cuts when they are completing a task. They want it quick and easy, and would never think about systematically completing a project. A good start is to willingly place your time and attention to completing a job from start to finish. If you sew, always do the little things that help to increase the wear of your clothing. Don’t take short cuts by skipping the pre-shrink step, the stay-stitching, ect.

2. Form good habits - If you don’t hang your clothes up, make your bed daily, clean around the sink after you’re finished, or set a time limit to clean up after a meal, then begin a new routine. A disciplined person seeks to avoid making unnecessary work for someone else -- even at church.

3. Train your body - Try not to fidget, tap your fingers, drag your feet, or sigh loudly while in the company of others. These can be practiced while you  wait patiently. Always look people directly in the eye while speaking to them. Don’t avert your eyes while walking in public. It gives people the impression that they are unimportant, or that you are above them. Some people are sensitive if you do it to them, and it does not convey love.

4. Tackle the difficult tasks first - If you do this, then you won’t procrastinate later on in the project, which will cause you not to finish it.

5. Create punctuality - Punctuality is a Christian courtesy, which can be done simply by planning ahead. You should always be punctual for doctor’s appointments, meetings, meeting a friend, church, and whenever possible. Another way to be punctual is by paying your bills on time. Once your husband gets paid, pay your tithe, pay the bills, and what remains will be what you live on until the next pay period.

6. Show restraint  -  in what you say and what you eat. Don’t be frank, because you don’t know how your comment will affect the other person. Also, show restraint by limiting your sugar or food intake. This will allow you to look and be your best, and add years to your life.

7. Prepare for the unexpected - This is not showing fear, but it is evidence of good planning. You can prepare for the unexpected by having preventative maintenance done on your vehicles, and your heating/air conditioning system. You can also prepare by having food set aside for the terrorist attack our government officials have said is foreseeable. Don’t be the typical American who waits until the last minute to stock up - because then it will be too late.

8. Create a pattern of prayer - If you set aside a specific time to pray, it will come to mind when you are going through the motions, such as: first thing in the morning, after you eat your breakfast, while you drive in your car, while you shower or have the bathroom door closed, or at bedtime. Find your favorite time and pray faithfully at those moments.

We should all have a passion to improve ourselves, and gain strength over our weaknesses. We are more useful and dependable in His Kingdom when we demonstrate discipline in our daily lives. Not only will we be trusted more by those around us, but also we will find more purpose and fulfillment in our Christian walk.

Keep Out That Monster Unbelief

Written By Charles Spurgeon

Strive with all diligence to keep out that monster - unbelief. It so dishonors Christ, that he will withdraw his visible presence if we insult him by indulging it. It is true it is a weed, the seeds of which we can never entirely extract from the soil, but we must aim at its root with zeal and perseverance.

 Among hateful things it is the most to be abhorred. Its injurious nature is so venomous that he that exercise it and he upon whom it is exercised are both hurt thereby. In thy case, O believer! it is most wicked, for the mercies of thy Lord in the past, increase thy guilt in doubting him now.

 When thou dost distrust the Lord Jesus, he may well cry out, "Behold I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves." This is crowning his head with thorns of the sharpest kind.

 It is very cruel for a well-beloved wife to mistrust a kind and faithful husband. The sin is needless, foolish, and unwarranted. Jesus has never given the slightest ground for suspicion, and it is hard to be doubted by those to whom our conduct is uniformly affectionate and true.

 Jesus is the Son of the Highest, and has unbounded wealth; it is shameful to doubt Omnipotence and distrust all-sufficiency. The cattle on a thousand hills will suffice for our most hungry feeding, and the granaries of heaven are not likely to be emptied by our eating. If Christ were only a cistern, we might soon exhaust his fullness, but who can drain a fountain? Myriads of spirits have drawn their supplies from him, and not one of them has murmured at the scantiness of his resources.

 Away, then, with this lying traitor unbelief, for his only errand is to cut the bonds of communion and make us mourn an absent Savior. Bunyan tells us that unbelief has "as many lives as a cat:" if so, let us kill one life now, and continue the work till the whole nine are gone. Down with thee, thou traitor, my heart abhors thee.

"How long will it be ere they believe me?"
Numbers 14:11

The Bible Never Says God "Hates the Sin, but Loves the Sinner"

What caused me to ponder this statement was the poster that was making its way around Facebook and how often people make this statement.

The following is from Got Questions where I often go when looking for an answer for a biblical question and the answers are from men. So far, I have agreed with most of what they have written. Here is the answer to the question "Does God hate? If God is love, how can He hate?" 

It seems a contradiction that a God who is love can also hate. We are created with the capacity to both love and hate; it is part of our being created in the image of God. The fact that we are all tainted with sin does not negate the fact that the ability to love and hate is part of the image of God that was created within us all. Therefore, if it is no contradiction for a human being to be able to love and hate, then much more so would it not be a contradiction for God to be able to love and hate. 

When the Bible does speak of God hating, the object of God’s hatred is usually sin and wickedness. Among the things God hates are idolatry (Deuteronomy 12:31; 16:22) and those who do evil (Psalm 5:4-6; 11:5).Proverbs 6:16-19 outlines seven things the Lord hates: pride, lying, murder, evil plots, those who love evil, false witness, and troublemakers. Notice that this passage does not include just things that God hates; it includes people as well. 

The question that begs to be answered at this point is why does God hate these things? God hates them because they are contrary to His nature—God’s nature being holy, pure and righteous. In fact, David writes, “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you” (Psalm 5:4 emphasis added). God is holy and hates sin. If He did not hate sin, He would not be holy. God is love, but He is also wrath, justice, and vengeance. But His wrath is a holy wrath and His justice and vengeance are holy as well. God’s love is holy. Therefore, He cannot "love everyone all the time no matter what they do," as some like to claim. Nothing could be further from the truth. God loves righteousness and holiness and hates sin and evil. If He did not, He would not be God. 

So if God hates sin and loves holiness, how does He love us? Simple. He loves us because we have the righteousness of Christ who became sin for us on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). He poured out His wrath and vengeance against sin on His Son, so that He could pour out His mercy and love on us. But without that sacrifice credited to us, His wrath and hatred remain on us because He hates our sin. The Bible never says He "hates the sin, but loves the sinner." In fact, He is “angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11). Is there a sense in which God loves everyone? Yes. Does that love preclude God from also hating sin, wickedness, and evil? No.

Feminists Want Sameness, Not Equality

"Feminism is simply women wanting to be equal to men and able to do everything a man does," said Meredith Vieira.  Another woman was quoted as saying that any women who wasn't a feminist was an idiot. Well then, I must be an idiot. However, feminism isn't fighting equality since we are already equal in the eyes of the Lord. Our value is the same and He loves us the same. What feminism is fighting is sameness. They want men and women to be the same but we can never be the same.

No woman will ever be able to play in the NFL, NBA, or any of the male sports. They aren't built strong enough or fast enough to be able to play. Right here proves that we can never be the same as men. I know feminists goal is to be able to have any job a man has and to be able to make the same pay. They should be able to sleep around like men do {although women are the ones who get pregnant and are more susceptible to STDs} and do whatever they want to do with their lives. They should even be able to become a man but no matter how hard they try, they will still have the DNA of a female. 

The consequences of women wanting to be the same as men has been devastating. Children are no longer being raised by their mothers. Millions of babies aren't even given life. Many men are out of work since most of the jobs are being taken. Half or more of the Universities are women. Divorce is common. No one is home taking care of the home and children. 

God built women for something completely different than he built men for. Men were created to go out and hunt for food and women to tend the home. 

How You Love Those Who Have Hurt You

The Lord tells us to “increase and abound in love one toward another” (1 Thessalonians 3:12). This includes deeply loving difficult husbands! Can you deeply love your disobedient, mean, and ornery husband? This includes that relative that completely rubs you the wrong way and may even be cruel to you. Do you treat them with patience and kindness, a large part of what love means?

We are also commanded to not worry? It’s so easy to worry about the state of our country and who will be the next President. It’s incessantly on the news, thus feeding our fears. Hollywood is getting more perverse. Pornography is easily available to all. It is definitely growing darker and more evil on planet earth, so do we worry?

If you are a child of the King, you can easily love those who are mean and even evil. This isn’t our home so we can trust in the One who died for us. Listen to what Charles Spurgeon has to say about all of this.

“Inasmuch as Jesus has gone before us, things do not remain as they would have been, had He never passed that way. He has conquered every foe that obstructed the way. Cheer up O faint-hearted warrior. Not only has Christ traveled the road but He has slain your enemies!

Do you dread sin? He has nailed it to His cross!

Do you fear death? He has been the death of death!

Whatever foes may be before the Christian - they are all overcome! There are lions but their teeth are broken! There are serpents but their fangs are extracted! There are flames but we wear that matchless garment which renders us invulnerable to fire!

The sword that has been forged against us is already blunted; the instruments of war which the enemy is preparing have already lost their point.

The Breaker, Christ, has taken away all the power that anything can have to hurt us. Well then, the army may safely march on, and you may go joyously along your journey, for all you enemies are conquered beforehand! Your victory shall be easy, and your treasure shall be beyond all count!”

Because of all this, we can easily increase and abound in love towards one another, even that husband of yours who has caused so much pain in your life, that mean relative, and all those who may even hate you! Because Christ has conquered, we can rest in Him about our future, about who will be President, and how bad our culture becomes. We can walk with our heads held high, a smile on our face, joy in our hearts, and kindness in our speech and actions. Yes, you can do all of these women, because your Savior died for you!

On Christ the solid Rock I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand!

You Reap What You Sow

Written By Charles Spurgeon

We are here taught the great lesson, that to get, we must give; that to accumulate, we must scatter; that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that in order to become spiritually vigorous, we must seek the spiritual good of others. In watering others, we are ourselves watered. How? Our efforts to be useful, bring out our powers for usefulness.

We have latent talents and dormant faculties, which are brought to light by exercise. Our strength for labour is hidden even from ourselves, until we venture forth to fight the Lord's battles, or to climb the mountains of difficulty. We do not know what tender sympathies we possess until we try to dry the widow's tears, and soothe the orphan's grief. We often find in attempting to teach others, that we gain instruction for ourselves. Oh, what gracious lessons some of us have learned at sick beds!

We went to teach the Scriptures, we came away blushing that we knew so little of them. In our converse with poor saints, we are taught the way of God more perfectly for ourselves and get a deeper insight into divine truth. So that watering others makes us humble. We discover how much grace there is where we had not looked for it; and how much the poor saint may outstrip us in knowledge.

 Our own comfort is also increased by our working for others. We endeavour to cheer them, and the consolation gladdens our own heart. Like the two men in the snow; one chafed the other's limbs to keep him from dying, and in so doing kept his own blood in circulation, and saved his own life. The poor widow of Sarepta gave from her scanty store a supply for the prophet's wants, and from that day she never again knew what want was. Give then, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and running over.

He that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Proverbs 11:25